FM12: F.C. Barcelona – Més que un club

[kamikaze_josh]

Futbol Club Barcelona – Més que un club

Introduction

Welcome to the FM12 F.C. Barcelona thread. Home of the most successful and aesthetically pleasing team on the planet right now! I've been a long time admirer of everything Barca and I hope that we can all help each other to replicate their style on FM12. Enjoy!

History

Futbol Club Barcelona, also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

Barça are the current European and Spanish football champions, and the most successful club in Spanish football in terms of domestic and overall trophies. As of the start of the 2011/12 season, they have won 21 La Liga, 25 Copa del Rey, 9 Supercopa de España, 3 Copa Eva Duarte and 2 Copa de la Liga trophies, as well as being the record holder for the latter four competitions. It is also one of the most successful clubs in European and international club football, having won 4 UEFA Champions League, a record 4 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, 4 UEFA Super Cup and 1 FIFA Club World Cup trophies. They also won a record 3 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup trophies, considered the predecessor to the UEFA Cup.

It is the only European club to have played continental football every season since 1955, and one of the only three clubs to have never been relegated from La Liga, along with Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid. In 2009, Barcelona became the first club in Spain to win the treble consisting of La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League. That same year, it also became the first football club ever to win six out of six competitions in a single year, thus completing the sextuple, comprising the aforementioned treble and the Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

Founded as Foot-Ball Club Barcelona in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English and Catalan footballers led by Joan Gamper, the club has become a symbol of Catalan culture and Catalanism, hence the motto "Més que un club" (More than a club). The official Barça anthem is the "Cant del Barça" written by Jaume Picas and Josep Maria Espinàs. Unlike many other football clubs, the supporters own and operate Barcelona. It is the world's second richest football club in terms of revenue, with an annual turnover of €398 million. The club holds a long-standing rivalry with Real Madrid, and matches between the two teams are referred to as "El Clásico".

Colours & Crest

Since its foundation the club has played with a crest. The club's original crest was a quartered diamond-shaped crest topped by the Crown of Aragon and the bat of King James, and surrounded by two branches, one of a laurel tree and the other a palm. In 1910 the club held a competition among its members to design a new crest. The winner was Carles Comamala, who at the time played for the club. Comamala's suggestion became the crest that the club wears today, with some minor variations. The crest consists of the St George Cross in the upper-left corner with the Catalan flag beside it, and the team colours at the bottom.

The blue and red colours of the shirt were first worn in a match against Hispania in 1900. Several competing theories have been put forth for the blue and red design of the Barcelona shirt. The son of the first president, Arthur Witty, claimed it was the idea of his father as the colours were the same as the Merchant Taylor's School team. Another explanation, according to author Toni Strubell, is that the colours are from Robespierre's First Republic. In Catalonia the common perception is that the colours were chosen by Joan Gamper and are those of his home team, FC Basel.

Since its founding, Barcelona has never worn corporate advertisements on their shirt. On 14 July 2006, the club announced a five year agreement with UNICEF, which includes having the UNICEF logo on their shirts. The agreement has the club donate €1.5 million per year to UNICEF (0.7 percent of its ordinary income, equal to the UN International Aid Target, cf. ODA) via the FC Barcelona Foundation. However, Barcelona will end their refusal of corporate sponsorship in the 2011–2012 season, having signed a five-year €150m deal with the Qatar Foundation.

Facilities

Barcelona initially played in the Camp de la Indústria. The capacity was about 6,000, and club officials deemed the facilities inadequate for a club with growing membership. In 1922, the number of supporters had surpassed 20,000 and by lending money to the club, Barça was able to build the larger Camp de Les Corts, which had an initial capacity of 20,000 spectators. After the Spanish Civil War the club started attracting more members and a larger number of spectators at matches. This led to several expansion projects: the grandstand in 1944, the southern stand in 1946, and finally the northern stand in 1950. After the last expansion, Les Corts could hold 60,000 spectators.

After the construction was complete there was no further room for expansion at Les Corts. Back-to-back La Liga titles in 1948 and 1949 and the signing of in June 1950 of László Kubala, who would later go on to score 196 goals in 256 matches, drew larger crowds to the games. The club began to make plans for a new stadium. The building of Camp Nou commenced on 28 March 1954, before a crowd of 60,000 Barça fans. The first stone of the future stadium was laid in place under the auspices of Governor Felipe Acedo Colunga and with the blessing of Archbishop of Barcelona Gregorio Modrego. Construction took three years and ended on 24 September 1957 with a final cost of 288 million pesetas, 336% over budget.

In 1980, when the stadium was in need of redesign to meet UEFA criteria, the club raised money by offering supporters the opportunity to inscribe their name on the bricks for a small fee. The idea was popular with supporters, and thousands of people paid the fee. Later this became the centre of controversy when media in Madrid picked up reports that one of the stones was inscribed with the name of long-time Real Madrid chairman and Franco supporter Santiago Bernabéu. In preparation for the 1992 Summer Games two tiers of seating were installed above the previous roofline. It has a current capacity of 99,354 making it the largest stadium in Europe.

There are also other facilities, which include:

• Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper (FC Barcelona's training ground)

• Masia-Centre de Formació Oriol Tort (Residence of young players)

• Mini Estadi (Home of the reserve team)

• Palau Blaugrana (FC Barcelona indoor sports arena)

• Palau Blaugrana 2 (Secondary indoor arena of FC Barcelona)

• Pista de Gel (FC Barcelona ice rink)

La Masia de Can Planes, usually shortened to La Masia, (English: the farmhouse), is the name given to FC Barcelona's training facilities located near the Camp Nou in the Les Corts district of Barcelona, and is often used to generically describe the youth academy of Barcelona.

The youth academy of Barcelona holds more than 300 young players, and has been praised since 2002 as one of the best in the world, being a significant factor in FC Barcelona's European success as well as the Spanish national team's success at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In 2010, la Masia achieved a record breaking honor becoming the first youth academy to have trained all three finalists for the Ballon d'Or in one same year, with Andrés Iniesta, Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernández.

The Supporters

The nickname culer for a Barcelona supporter is derived from the Catalan cul, as the spectators at the first stadium, Camp de la Indústria, sat with their culs over the stand. In Spain, about 25% of the population are said to be Barça sympathisers, second behind Real Madrid, supported by 32% of the population. Valencia is third, with 5%. Throughout Europe, Barcelona is the favourite second-choice club. The club's membership figures have seen a significant increase from 100,000 in the 2003–04 season to 170,000 in September 2009, the sharp rise being attributed to the influence of Ronaldinho and then-president Joan Laporta's media strategy that focused on Spanish and English online media.

In addition to membership, as of June 2010 there are 1,335 officially registered fan clubs, called penyes, around the world. The fan clubs promote Barcelona in their locality and receive beneficial offers when visiting Barcelona. The club has had many prominent persons among its supporters, including Pope John Paul II, who was an honorary member, and current prime minister of Spain José Zapatero.

All of the above is either directly copied, or adapted from content found on Wikipedia. To view their full article on F.C. Barcelona, please follow this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Barcelona

[kamikaze_josh]

Staff

On FM12, Barca's staff seem to lack the ability to be the world class unit they are in real life. You could conceivably strengthen in every position. However, how much you wish to change the philosophy of using home grown coaches and scouts is up to you. Personally, I believe that sticking with all of the current staff will, at least to some degree, hinder the other traditional aspect at Barcelona - the development of top young players. To reach their full potential, they will need to be trained by top coaches and only a handful of the existing employees fall into that category. Anyway, these are the staff at your disposal when you begin your game.

Chairman

Sandro Rosell

Director of Football

Narcís Julià

General Manager

Andoni Zubizarreta

Manager

Josep Guardiola – If you’re in charge at the Camp Nou, then it goes without saying that Pep won’t be around. If, however, you’re just after some insight into the managerial set-up at the club then this may be of interest. Renowned for exceptional and innovative man management and motivational techniques, Guardiola runs a tight, but not severe, ship. Perhaps he’s not quite as tactically adept as some of his more senior and experienced managerial colleagues, but is certainly not afraid to adapt to new situations facing his team. Humble, knowledgeable, smart, decisive, respected and above all extremely passionate about the cause of FC Barcelona, he’s quite some adversary for any opposition manager.

Assistant Manager

Tito Vilanova

Coaches

Ismael Vara

Goalkeeping Coaches

Juan Carlos Unzué

Fitness Coaches

Francisco Seirul.lo

Francesc Cos

Lorenzo Buenaventura

Aureli Altimira

Youth Coaches

Ramon Ros

Óscar García

Marc Guitart

Francisco Javier García Pimienta

Franc Artiga

Physios

Emili Ricart

Ricard Pruna

Jaume Munill

Daniel Medina

Juanjo Brau

Scouts

Michel Zamora

Germán Vaya

Albert Valentín

Domenech Torrent

Jordi Roura

Carlos Planchart

Quique Costas

Pepe Costa

Josep Boada

Albert Benaiges

Guillermo Amor

[kamikaze_josh]

Players

In this section, I will outline all of the players whom I believe may have the potential to represent Barcelona, either now or in years to come. The players are listed according to their best positions and my view of where they fit into the Barca setup. Current First Team players are in standard font, others in italics.

When signing players in Spain, bear in mind the Cotonou agreement and Spanish citizenship requirements as outlined in this thread: http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/282966-FM12-Spain-The-Cotonou-Agreement-and-Spanish-Citizenship-%28Useful-For-Player-Searches%29

Goalkeepers

Víctor Valdés (29) – GK - Up there with the best around, La Masia graduate Valdés is a fantastic all round goalkeeper whose style perfectly fits the high pressing game played by Barca. With his potential to play as a sweeper keeper, along with superb one-on-one ability, he is the man you want behind the high defensive line associated with Barcelona’s extreme pressing game. On this basis, added to his top notch distribution, Valdés is much more than your average 'keeper!

José Manuel Pinto (35) – GK - Aging but dependable and professional, Pinto will be a satisfactory backup to Valdes for a season a two. He can also operate as a sweeper keeper, handy if you're going to play that high defensive line / pressing game.

Rubén Miño (22) – GK - Although slightly improved on FM12, and a good shot stopper, young Miño appears to lack the all round ability to ever challenge for a regular first team spot.

Oier Olazabal (21) – GK - Of similar age and potential to Miño, Olazabal will likely only ever be considered as a backup. His poor one on one ability is a negative considering Barca’s high pressing game.

Pol Ballesté (15) – GK - Only 15 years of age, but with more potential than either Mino and Olazabal, Bellesté could be the next top goalkeeper to roll off La Masia’s, seemingly never ending, production line of talent. With the correct training and tutoring from Valdés, he has the potential to challenge for the fabled number one shirt a few years down the line.

In Victor Valdés, you have a top notch 'keeper who can be your number one for atleast another 5 years. Pinto can do an adequate job as back-up for now, but you should look for better and younger model. If an injury crisis struck, I wouldn't trust either of Miño or Olazabal to perform over any number of games and, clearly, Ballesté needs a couple more years under his belt before you contemplate giving him first team action.

 

Central Defenders

Carles Puyol (33) – D (RC) - This man embodies Barcelona. 33 year old captain Puyol has spent his entire career at the Camp Nou and is the cornerstone upon which this exceptional Barca team has been built. Brave, loyal, committed and highly dependable, ‘The Wall’ will forever be a favourite of the Blaugranes. He still has at least a couple of years left at the highest level, before joining your coaching staff.

Gerard Piqué (24) – SW, D © - Man mountain Pique is another graduate of the Barcelona academy, although his 4 years at Manchester United were also key in his development. Gerard returned to Barca in 2008 and has since established himself as one of the world’s best defenders. Age is on his side and at just 24, he has his best years ahead of him.

Marc Muniesa (19) – D (LC), WB (L) - Possibly Barca's best young defender, Muniesa has the potential to be world class. He has pace, can spot a pass, has good mental attributes and above all is solid at the back. More than anything else, his aerial ability needs a bit of work. With training and tutoring, young Marc is destined for big things.

Marc Bartra (20) – D (RC) - Bartra’s great form for the ‘B’ team since coming through the ranks, along with his impressive mental attributes, have seen him close in on a first team spot. However, Guardiola’s reluctance to use him, instead favouring Abidal, Mascherano and Busquets as stand in centre backs, proves that he still has a lot to learn. Once again, with the correct training, Bartra could play a big role for Barca in the years to come.

Sergi Gómez (18) – SW, D © - Gómez lacks the mental attributes and pace of both Bartra and Muniesa, but is more of a presence in the air. Game time in the ‘B’ team could do him wonders, but don’t expect him to turn into any more than a very good back-up or rotation option.

Andreu Fontàs (21) – D ©, DM - Fontàs has tended to get more run outs for the first team than his young defensive colleagues, quite possibly because of being slightly older. However, in my opinion, he's marginally short of the potential of Bartra, Gómez and Muniesa. With Barca's naturally high defensive line, his lack of pace could also be a problem.

Oriol Rosell (18) – SW, D ©, DM - Rosell is a quick young defender who likes to play his way out from the back, of which he is very capable. These attributes should point to an exceptional young defender, but unfortunately Rosell doesn’t quite appear to have the all round game to match up to them. Perhaps a squad player in the making.

Sergio Ayala (18) – D (LC) - Ayala has pace and potential, but looks weak in the air. He’ll work for the team and is another player who could perhaps play a role as a squad player in the future.

Edu Campabadal (18) – D (RC), WB ® - Campabadal is a long way off the level of the first team right now. He has potential and could perhaps feature in future Barca squads, but you’ll have to work hard on almost all aspects of his game to make it happen.

In Carles Puyol and Gerard Piqué you have Spain’s World Cup winning, as well as Barcelona’s sextuple winning, central defensive partnership. As long as they both stay fit, there isn’t a better partnership in world football. Eric Abidal can also step across from left back and performed incredibly well during the 2010/11 season when asked to play in a central role. Javier Mascherano has also performed admirably this season at the back and it’s now arguably predominantly a central defender. With Sergio Busquets also able to step back on occasion, there are plenty of defensive options, but Puyol and Piqué remain the only senior players for whom this is their natural role.

Marc Muniesa is set to be a future Barcelona star and his namesake Marc Bartra has the potential to be a first team option too. With Gómez, Fontàs, Rosell, Ayala and perhaps even Campabadal all with the potential to be squad players as well, you’ll be hard pushed to find any club in the world with better young defensive options.

 

Full Backs & Wing Backs

Daniel Alves (28) – D/WB/M ® - Alves is, without doubt, the best attacking right-back in world football. Perhaps not at his best with the opposition on the ball, his height also makes him vulnerable in the air. That aside, Dani is a gem. His runs down the right wing open up the pitch for others and his understanding with Lionel Messi is second to none among the Barcelona squad. Often more of a winger than a full-back, he will run all day for the team and give you his all.

Eric Abidal (31) – D (LC), WB (L) - An exceptional team player and highly dependable defender, Abidal has become a Barca favourite. As well as being an excellent left-back, Eric can also slot into a central defensive role with ease. His physical attributes enable him to compete in any situation, but he does lack the attacking potential of Alves.

Adriano (26) – D/WB/M/AM (RL) - Barca’s utility man, Adriano is comfortable playing anywhere on either wing and has even appeared in the centre of the pitch. He is a similar player to Dani Alves, although more comfortable on the left than the right and not quite capable of reaching the exceptional standards set by his countryman. A great back-up option.

Martín Montoya (20) – D/WB ® - Despite rarely featuring for Barcelona, Montoya has already received a call up to the senior Spain squad. He looks to have all of the attributes to become a well rounded full-back. The La Masia graduates strengths are his pace, stamina, teamwork and the balls he can whip into the box.

Carles Planas (20) – D/WB (L) - Planas is a very similar player to Montoya, although perhaps a year behind in his development. Yet again the academy has provided the first team with another player capable of making the grade in La Liga. Carles appears to have a good all round game, but again his most impressive attributes are his workrate and stamina.

Kiko Femenia (20) – WB/M/AM ® - Although naturally a right winger, Femenia looks to have the potential to play slightly deeper in a similar role to that of Dani Alves. I'd look to give him another year in the 'B' team to gain first team football and see if he looks ready to play a bit-part role in your squad and learn from Alves.

Dani Alves can run the right wing almost singlehandedly, but an attacking left-back (after the sale of Maxwell) seems a must if you want the option of an attacking threat from both flanks. That said, Abidal is more defensively solid than Alves and does provide balance to the defence. Adriano is, like Alves, at his best going forward, but his versatility means that he’s a great option to have on the bench.

Montoya and Planas are both talented young players and are also capable of providing good cover for the first team, before potentially stepping up to start in the future. Many of your central defenders can also provide cover at full-back so you shouldn’t be short of options.

 

Defensive Midfielders

Sergio Busquets (22) – DM, M © - Moulded into Barca’s system since moving up from the ‘B’ team in 2008, Busquets is a fantastic team player. His ability to drop back into defence to form a back three, whilst the wing backs push forward and the centre backs spread wide, fits perfectly with the tactics often employed by Guardiola. In recent times Sergio has also been used in the centre of defence, although his potential in that position doesn’t come close to when he’s played as a defensive midfielder. Although no Xavi, Busquets also shouldn’t to be underestimated with the ball at his feet.

Javier Mascherano (27) – D ©, DM, M © - Mascherano signed from Liverpool in 2010 and is another exceptional team player. Quite possibly the best anchor man in the world, any team would surely be glad of his services. If you need somebody to break up attacks in front of your defence, he is the perfect player. Javier has also been used of late in central defence and has proved to be highly successful there. Another very useful string to his bow.

Seydou Keita (31) – DM, M © - Keita has been a fantastic servant for Barca since signing from Sevilla 3 summers ago. The Malian international is yet another highly dependable team player who can play anywhere across the midfield. He’s unlikely to start many games, but his stamina, fitness, left footedness and physical presence give you a different option. Again, by no means a slouch with the ball at his feet either.

Jonathan dos Santos (21) – DM, M © - Young Mexican defensive midfielder, Jonathan dos Santos is more comfortable with the ball at his feet than getting stuck in to tackles. That doesn’t mean that he can’t break up opposition attacks, but you’d be well advised to play him alongside a more physical player. He’ll work hard for the team and should be able to fit into the first team if required.

Sergi Samper (16) – DM, M © - Another exceptional talent to come through the Barcelona youth system, Samper should feature in your future plans. As well as being adept at breaking up attacks, he has that creative spark to link defence to midfield. With tutoring from Busquets, Sergi could well live up to the standards set by Sergio and become a crucial cog in the first team set-up.

Whether you need to start moves from the back or stop the opposition at all costs, in the Barcelona squad you have players for each such occasion. Busquets can provide an extra attacking spark from deep and is the perfect link up man between defence and midfield. There is simply nobody better in world football at ‘spoiling’ than Mascherano. With these two players at your disposal, signing anybody else in this position should be the last thing on your mind. In addition, you have Seydou Keita, upon whom you can rely, and the back-up option of Barca ‘B’’s Jonathan dos Santos.

With Oriol Romeu having been sold to Chelsea in the summer (albeit with a buy back clause), you might have thought the squad would be lacking a talented young defensive midfielder. Being Barca of course, this isn’t the case. Sergi Samper looks to be an exceptional talent and more than capable of slotting into the first team three or four seasons down the line.

Central & Attacking Midfielders

Xavi (31) – M © - The creative fulcrum, playmaker and hero to the Catalan faithful, Xavi can pass the ball through the eye of a needle. His mental stats are unmatched in the game and indeed only teammates Iniesta and Fàbregas come close in that department. Playmaker extraordinaire who must surely join your coaching staff once his playing days are over.

Andrés Iniesta (27) – M/AM (LC) - In a conversation with Xavi, whilst still in his playing days, Pep Guardiola is famously reported to have said ‘You might retire me, but Iniesta will retire us both’. He is a gem, often referred to as Xavi mk.2 in his early days, but may just be even better. Andrés scored Spain’s World Cup winning goal and is adored by the Spanish public, but especially the Blaugranes. He can create chances when least expected and change any game in the blink of an eye.

Cesc Fàbregas (24) – M/AM © - Despite having only just rejoined his boyhood club, Cesc has an almost telepathic understanding with Lionel Messi - with whom he played as a teenager. Possibly the best box-to-box midfielder on the planet today, Fàbregas can do just about everything. Whether it be threading a pinpoint pass, shooting from distance, getting on the end of moves or even tracking back, Fab looks at home. His determination and two-footedness are further positives.

Thiago (20) – M/AM © - Born in Italy to Brazilian parents and now a Spanish International, Thiago has quite a footballing pedigree. His father is 1994 Brazilian World Cup winner Mazinho, but the younger man appears to have more than enough potential to step out from his father’s shadow. Another player in the mould of Xavi, Iniesta and Fàbregas, Thiago is one of the best young midfielders in world football and yet another creative genius at the disposal of Barcelona.

Rafinha (18) – M/AM ©, ST - Younger brother of Thiago, Rafinha is yet another sensational young player plying his trade in Catalonia. Aswell as possessing the customary passing and creative skills expected of a Barca midfielder, Rafinha also has the ability to play slightly further foward. With the correct tutoring and training, he could easily deputise for Lionel Messi in the false nine role or push on from midfield.

Sergi Roberto (19) – M/AM © - Sergi Roberto has all of the creative attributes associated with La Masia graduates and is currently starring in midfield for Barca ‘B’. Gaining first team experience, with the considerable talent ahead of him in the Barcelona pecking order, may well be the biggest hurdle separating Roberto from being a world class creative midfielder. Yet another with the potential to be a first team star and with the opportunities to learn from the very best, that looks very possible.

Javi Espinosa (18) – M/AM © - Espinosa continues the tradition of the other players who’ve already made their way from La Masia to the first team ranks. He looks capable of slicing open defences, although is perhaps slightly lacking in terms of physical attributes. Yet again, with good training, this young man could easily feature in your first team squad in the near future.

David Babunski (17) – M/AM © - Although probably the least talented of the midfielders listed here, Babunski is still a player with potential. A slightly more ‘all-round’ player than is typical of young Barca midfielders, perhaps the young Macedonian could develop into an important box-to-box midfielder.

Coming up against any one of Xavi, Iniesta or Fabregas would be a frightening prospect for any team in the world. You have all three at your disposal, in addition to the genius of Lionel Messi dropping deep from his false nine role. No team comes within the same postcode as Barca when it comes to their creative engine.

The future also looks extremely bright. Thiago, Rafinha and Sergi Roberto are all potential first team starters, with Espinosa and Babunski also capable of fulfilling roles useful roles within the squad. Ibrahim Afellay is an extremely useful, talented and versatile back-up for the present, whilst the younger players are still developing

Wingers, Wide Forwards & Strikers

Lionel Messi (24) – AM (RLC), ST - Simply the greatest player to have ever kicked a football. Messi has been predominantly used in a ‘false nine’ role under Pep Guardiola and has made the position his own. From there, he’s able to drop back into midfield and weave intricate webs of passes with his fellow footballing magicians. Running at lightning speed, with the ball glued to his feet, Leo is capable of anything. Anything at all. Given the chance to shoot, there isn’t any player you’d rather have staring down the opposition goalkeeper. They call him ‘The Flea’, I’m sure you’re itching to see him as the centrepiece of your team.

David Villa (29) – AM (L), ST - El Guaje is Spain’s leading all-time goalscorer and a lethal finisher. Another smart player, Villa is always on the move and looking to find space on the shoulder of the last defender. Used mainly on the left of a front 3 by Pep, he’s more than capable of leading the line or indeed conspiring with teammates to cause havoc in the opposition defence, upon which others can thrive.

Pedro (23) – AM (RL) - Another graduate of the Barca academy, Pedro came up with Guardiola from the ‘B’ team and has been a key figure since. His ability to hold a wide position and stretch play enables the central players to work their magic in the spaces left behind. His acceleration, two-footedness and big game mentality can give you the edge against the toughest of defences. Pedrito can finish moves off too, as he proved by becoming the first player in football history to score in six competitions during a single season.

Alexis Sánchez (22) – AM (RLC), ST - Alexis is in his first season as a Barcelona player and adds something different to the forward line. His explosive bursts of quick dribbling can rip any defence to shreds. At 22, Sánchez has a lot more to give and looks set to turn into another Camp Nou superstar. One of your 3 foreign (non-EU) players and not set to gain Spanish citizenship until the Summer of 2013.

Ibrahim Afellay (25) – AM (RLC) - Afellay signed for Barca from PSV for a bargain fee of €2M in January 2011. Injuries have curtailed his involvement in the first team to date, but when able to play Ibrahim has shown glimpses of the form which has led to him collecting 36 caps for Holland. Very good on the ball, as is the custom with Barcelona players, he can play in midfield or as part of the front three.

Isaac Cuenca (20) – AM (RL) - Cuenca has followed a similar path to the first team to that of Pedro and the players can be compared on the pitch too. Except for his poor left foot, Isaac has all of the attributes which have made Pedro a key ingredient in Barcelona’s success. He’ll hold his width, ideally on the right and allow you creative players space in the centre of the pitch. With some work on his strength and tracking back, Cuenca could become yet another top young player.

Christian Tello (19) – AM (RL) - Unfortunately Tello hadn’t made a major breakthrough before the latest update to FM. For that reason, he’s unlikely to ever be a star on your game but his right foot can still threaten opposition defences. With game time and tutoring from first teamers, perhaps Christian could become part of your squad down the line.

Rodri (21) – ST - Rodri isn’t good enough to feature regularly for the first team at the moment. However, at only 21, perhaps he still has more to give and I would suggest moving him to the 'B' team to gain some more experience. Potentially, with the right development, he could be an adequate backup to the first team in the future.

Keirrison (22) – ST - Brazilian forward Keirrison signed for Barca in a €14M deal back in 2009, but has yet to represent the club. Although a good finisher, his potential seems to have faded. With the many exceptional young players at the disposal of FCB, Keirrison’s opportunities appear to be limited. That he also occupies one of the 3 potential foreign player (for non-EU nationals) is another negative and probably the final nail in the coffin of his Camp Nou career.

Gerard Deulofeu (17) – AM (RL) - Deulofeu looks a fantastic prospect on FM12, as in real life. With the correct development, and Barca definitely have the players to tutor him, young Gerard could become a Barca great. One of the best young players on this year's game, he can do the unexpected to beat his man and has the end product to go with it.

Miguel Ángel (18) – M/AM (RL) - Ángel is comfortable on either wing and with the ball on either foot. Skilful, but perhaps lacking the pace and drive of those ahead of him in the Barcelona pecking order, he has enough potential to cause problems among defences. Another one to keep around and see how he develops in the environment of the best club in the world.

Jean Marie Dongou (16) – ST - Cameroonian striker Dongou looks set to follow in Samuel Etoo’s footsteps and become a member of the famous Barcelona frontline. He has a long way to go before being compared to his illustrious compatriot, however there is no reason why young Jean Marie can’t reach those heights. Again, training and tutoring will be crucial, but don’t be surprised to find him in the first team picture sooner rather than later.

Sandro (15) – ST - Sandro is another youngster with the opportunity to become a future Barcelona first-teamer, if an impact player, if not as a regular starter . To reach those heights, however, his raw talent must be harnessed and his sometimes impetuous attitude kept under control. With matches, training and guidance from senior players, watch him bloom into a well rounded and talented young striker.

Barcelona’s attacking options strike fear into defences the world over. Packed full of intelligent, quick, skilful, lethal striker and wingers, the squad looks well set both now and for the future. It’s up to you whether to trust the next ‘batch’ of young players coming up from the cantera or add yet more fire power in your transfer dealings.

Perhaps the only area in which the front line is lacking is the option of a target man on the rare occasions ‘Plan A’ doesn’t come off.

Out On Loan

Henrique (24) – D © - Central defender Henrique was one of Pep Guardiola’s first signings as First Team coach, but the Brazilian is yet to make his debut for the Camp Nou side. Having been out on loan for the previous four seasons and with the talented young defenders now coming through from the junior and ‘B’ teams, Henrique is probably surplus to requirements. That’s not to say that he doesn’t have talent, as proven by his status as a Brazilian international.

Bojan (20) – AM (RL), ST - Having come through La Masia, Bojan was labelled by many as the next big thing in Spanish football. Despite being only 20, by the end of the 10/11 season he'd already made over 100 La Liga appearances for Barca. However, in recent times, the majority of those appearances were as a substitute and questions were surfacing over his ability to reach the huge heights expected of him. In the summer, Barca agreed to let him continue his development in the slightly less pressured environment of Roma. The Italian club have the option to purchase him outright for €28M at any time during his two year spell in Italy. Cross your fingers that they don't and that he comes back to the Catalan capital much nearer to the finished product.

[kamikaze_josh]

Tactics & Philosophy

Since taking charge of the first team in 2008, Pep Guardiola has instigated a sensational run of results and trophies. His tactics have been built around the fusion of Johan Cruyff's 'Total Football' and the short passing, possession based 'Tiki-Taka' nurtured within La Masia.

The development of Lionel Messi into a central player, more specifically in the false nine position, has been key to the growth of Barca under Guardiola. After ruthlessly rooting out the big egos from the dressing room, the new boss put his faith in the club's home-grown young players. Perhaps, Messi aside, the two most important players to the new system were Pedro and Busquets, both of whom he brought up with him from the 'B' Team. Despite initially scepticism among many about what role he played for the team, it soon became clear that Busquets was the vital link man between defence and midfield. He enabled those ahead of him to play, much like Guardiola himself. Pedro gave the team natural width, stretched the defence and allowed the central players that extra space to weave their considerable magic.

The majority of the other key players at Barcelona were also raised through the renowned academy. Metronomic Xavi and ingenious Iniesta are the heartbeat of the team in central midfield. Bullish Puyol and majestic Pique (brought back to the club from Man Utd) are the bedrock on which the team's foundations are built. Fearless Valdes in goal allows the defence to push higher up the pitch and launches the attacks. Allied to the players already mentioned above and the exceptional signings of Dani Alves and David Villa, there is a team that compliment each other to an incredible degree. Summer additions Fabregas (another returnee, this time from Arsenal) and Sanchez offer different types of threats but stay true to the Barca principle of technical ability before all else. Perhaps, despite the solid performances of Abidal, left back remains the weak point of the team.

Guardiola is constantly experimenting with new formations and tactical ideas, determined to always be one step ahead of the opposition. However, the default tactic during his reign has been a 4-1-2-2-1. Broadly speaking, this features a sweeper keeper; two centre backs; two attacking fullbacks; an anchorman; two creative central midfielders; two wingers or inside forwards; and one striker or false nine. In reality, when in possession, this tactic becomes a 3-4-3 with the anchorman dropping back into the centre of defence, the two centre backs pushing wider and the full backs pushing on well up the pitch. This system is so fluid and the players so accomplished within it that it often defies any particular formation - the players find themselves space, give the passer options and cover each other. In principle it's a simple idea but can be devastating, extremely effective and exhilarating to watch.

In recent times, a back 3 has been experimented with in various forms. Perhaps the most common could almost be called a back 3 and a half, with Busquets simultaneously performing his role as anchorman and also filling in at centre back. This allows for yet another creative player further up the pitch. Guardiola has used Fabregas behind Messi, allowing them to dove-tale and link with the central players. Another option is to play Messi in behind a more natural striker (such as Villa) or pacey attacker (such as Sanchez), allowing him to create and giving a more permanent spearhead to attacks. The obvious drawback to this system is that you're taking away a defender and are therefore susceptible to opposition counter-attacks. Sergio Busquets is probably the best player in the world at performing the anchorman role, but it's up to you to decide whether to take the gamble!

[kamikaze_josh]

Reserved for future patches / updates.

[Intercept]

Was fearful when I decided to not do the Barca thread this year again but after the start you've made I'm much much happier now! Good start and can't wait to see the finished product! KUTGW!

[kamikaze_josh]

I read your post on the 'take your pick' thread about being busy and perhaps not being able to keep up with the thread, so decided to set it up. I am and will be taking a lot of inspiration from your great thread last year and hope to live up to the standards you set! Looking forward to getting into the game and the many tactical discussions which will no doubt follow!

[Rubentus_Juventus]

Alexis Sanchez is overrated in the game. No where near as good irl.

[Intercept]

Given the season he had for Udinese I don't really think he is that "over-rated". I haven't seen enough of him for Barcelona to get an idea of his current form (as he hasn't played that much) but last season he was pretty influential in Udinese finishing where they did.

Really like the fact that Iniesta has decent physical attributes this time around compared to his atrocious starting physicals last year. On top of that I'm absolutely over-joyed at how awesomely rated the youth is. Montoya, Fontas, Bartra, Muniesa, Planas, Mino, etc. are all more then capable of stepping into the first team which is really awesome for the way I play Barca!

[jaaaws]

How is Deulofeu rated on FM12? On FM11 he never turned out be a good player for me.

[rune_star]

Looks more than decent! Not ready for full first team action from the beginning, but close. Don't know his exact potential but Villanova rates him 4 star potential

[yonko]

Of course Barca look extremely good on FM12, in general. But I have I few objections, so to speak.....

Sanchez is rated very well IMO, with expiation of his decision attribute. Why only 8 for decisions? Everytime I've seen him play (last season for Udinese and the little he has played for Barca this season), he looked to be making very decent decisions, surely better than a "8".....

The youngsters look good. Fontas, Bartra, Muniesa, Montoya and Thiago look like players who can contribute to the first team right away. But why does Thiago start the Demo in Barca B? IRL Thiago and Fontas are officially part of the first team, while Montoya and Bartra are not! In addition, I hope Thiago is given high PA, especially considering how overrated Ganso is on FM (there is no way in hell that he has the potential to be as good as Iniesta/Fabrgeas IRL, but on FM11 his PA was close to theirs and I suspect the same is the case on FM12).

I think Sergi Roberto and Javi Espinosa should be rated higher and the same goes for Sergi Samper (who BTW should be DM/MC). Deulofeu looks better and more promising on FM12, but he is not a natural AMR. He should be natural AML.

I'm happy to see that Messi's natural position has finally changed. Now he is natural AMC and STC with "comes deep" as PPM, his "finishing" is 19 and his "first touch" is 17 - excellent! Villa should be AMRL,ST, Iniesta should be M/AM RLC (natural MC) and Pedro should be at least "competent" as a STC (probably even "accomplished", thus making him AMRL,ST). Adriano's pace and stamina could be a little higher IMO and he should be D/WB/AM RL.

Anyway.....I've started my usual Barca save on the demo. I sold Keita (6m euro) and Maxwell (7.5m euro). That increased my transfer budget nicely, though some of that went to acquiring more competent coaches and it also helped me reduce the wages. I also renewed Abidal's contract on a lower wage, reducing it from 77k to 53k a week. Thus my wage difference was transferred into increasing my transfer budget even further. As a result I was able to buy:

Vertonghen - 1m up front + 8m over 48 months (5m euro cost)

Neymar - 60m over 48 months (12m euro cost)

Baines - 3m up front + 20m over 48 months (8m euro cost)

I played 4 US friendlies against Chicago, New York, LA and DC United. Won three and drew the last one 0-0. Then I beat Real M for the Supercup 3-1 away and 4-1 at home (take that Mourinho, scum!). But I lost Euro Supercup to Porto (or as is now known on FM, FCP) 0-1 on a flukey goal, despite totally dominating them. Before that game against Porto, I had another friendly (to help the subs and the fringe players gain match fitness) against Fenerbache, which I won 3-1. I've only played one La Liga game so far, the first one vs Villarreal, which I won 1-0. I'm just about to play my first CL group game vs Marseille (the other teams in my group are Basel and Benfica aka SLB).

So far my team looks like this:

GK-Valdes

DR-Alves

DL-Baines

DCR-Pique

DCL-Vertonghen (until Puyol recovers)

DM-Busquets

MCR-Xavi

MCL-Iniesta

AMR-Pedro (even though Sanchez is rated higher, his 8 for decision is bugging me!)

AML-Neymar

STC-MESSI the GOD - he he

Subs:

Pinto

Adriano (until Montoya recovers, he re-injured himself for further 2 weeks)

Abidal

Mascherano

Fabregas

Sanchez

Villa

As always, my challenge and battle is to recreate how Barca play with a decent FM tactic. I'm experimenting as I'm frustrated with a few things in the ME once again.

p.s. Nice thread, btw. I hope many people will have a crack with the best team in the World on FM12. Is it me or are Barca's coaches (the youth ones mainly, as they don't have many first team ones) underrated again?

[kamikaze_josh]

Deulofeu looks like a very handy player on the demo, I can't wait to have a go at developing him and the other youngsters on the full game. Very pleased at the strength of the youth this year

So then guys, how have results been going for you on the demo? Any interesting formations? I've only been dabbling, but am yet to find a realistic formation - to be honest I'm still trying to work out how Pep's going to play this year too! It may end up being lop sided, with Dani Alves on the right and no true winger on the left.

Not enough time to complete the OP tonight, but I'll be working on it some more tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have a squad and possibly a tactical analysis complete by tomorrow night and will then fill in the blanks from there!

[Intercept]

I managed to get quite lucky and just signed Tevez for £16.25m so I'm out of money at the first hurdle but pretty happy the squad as it is anyway!

So onto the friendlies. Using a pretty standard 4-5-1 which I'll tinker with over the next few saves until the full release comes out!

[Wendsill]

I managed to get quite lucky and just signed Tevez for £16.25m so I'm out of money at the first hurdle but pretty happy the squad as it is anyway!

So onto the friendlies. Using a pretty standard 4-5-1 which I'll tinker with over the next few saves until the full release comes out!

Isn't a 4-5-1 tactic while playing Barca blasphemy ?

[vieires]

4-5-1 with wingers.

4-3-3 with wingers.

What's the difference?

[yonko]

There are a few ways to play the 4-3-3 with Barca:

1. GK - DR, DCR, DCL, DL - DM, MCR, MCL - AMR, AML, STC (that is pretty much an attacking 4-5-1)

2. GK - same 4 - MC, MCR, MCL - AMR, AML, STC (a slight variation)

3. GK - same 4 - DM, MCR, MCL - STL ©, STR ©, STC (wide or narrow 4-3-3 with a DM)

4. GK - same 4 - MC, MCR, MCL - STL ©, STR ©, STC (wide or narrow classic 4-3-3)

The options with 3 STCs is a bit harder to play with Pedro in the line-up since he is unconvincing as a ST (unfairly IMO). If he is in the line-up, then he must be played either as AMR or STR. The interesting thing is that he has better balanced attributes for Inside Forward role/instructions than Sanchez, but Alexis is accomplished ST and based on the Team Report has higher CA/PA.

[kamikaze_josh]

I managed to develop an interesting variation on 4-3-3 on FM11. It was set up with:

GK - DCR - DCL - DM - MR - MCR - MCL - ML - STR - STC - STL

In defence, the wide midfielders dropped back, almost as fullbacks. Messi also dropped deep from his central striking roll to assist the midfield. This effectively made the formation a 4-1-2-1-2 Diamond (or a 4-3-3 with the central striker slightly deeper).

In build up play, Busquets dropped back to form a back 3, with the central defenders pushing slightly wider (using hug touchline instruction). The wide players joined in with the midfield. The formation was now remeniscant of a 3-4-1-2.

In an attacking situation, Messi took up his central striking role, with a central midfielder (usually Iniesta, but could now be Fabregas) taking up the central attacking midfielders position. Busquets would then step up from the back to cover the open space in midfield. This effectively became 2-4-1-3 or 2-4-4.

Over the whole of a match, the average position of the players looked just like that of a 4-3-3, but I found it to be much more effective. Passing and possession statistics were similar to those which Barca achieved in real life last year. Messi scored around 60 goals in all competitions (not unrealistic), with Villa and Pedro chipping in 20ish each. Iniesta had many chances, but his low finishing stats let him down and he struggled to convert enough. I do believe though that on FM12, Fabregas will fulfil this role to it's potential and also chip in 20 goals a season. The two central players collected most of the assists, with the front 3 also securing their fair share.

I've only briefly tested it out on FM12 so far, so can't comment on it's successes this time around, but fitting everybody into the system seems tough. Given that Fabregas would be starting alongside Xavi, Iniesta needs a new position. He has better physicals than last year, but obviously not good enough to play on the left of midfield because of the defensive frailties this would cause. Neither am I convinced about his prowess upfront ahead of any of Villa, Pedro or Sanchez in the wide striking roles. This would leave him as back up to the central midfield.

Another alternative would be to play a 3-4-3 diamond, much like Pep had been experimenting with, however this would likely require leaving out Dani Alves. Hmm, much to think about! The joys of having such a great squad!

[gipsy]

How about this? 3-4-3:

Gk:valdes

Wbr:alves

Dc:masche

Dmcr:biscuits

Dmcl:xavi

Mcr:iniesta

Mcl:fabregas

Amr:sanchez

Amc:messi

Aml:villa

So...no striker, this is how i play home games,

fantastic results so far

[gipsy]

Arf i forgot Wbl: Abidal

[vieires]

Wow, only one man in the back-line? The kind of boldness only a team with this much talent can even think about.

Kamikaze_Josh...not sure how it translates in FM, but I think that is pretty much exactly what Guardiola is trying to move towards this year, though the ML probably plays much more centrally than does the MR (who typically would be Alves). In fact, you could almost move the ML to AMCL and play him as Fabregas is being played this year.

[gipsy]

actuallly there are three players at the back as the wing backs are on the dr/dl position but with wingbacks role

1st run in the demo scored approximately 120 goals and conceeded around 10... won every matches except two which ended as draws...crazy

Mind you this is the home tactic, when playing away I switch to a 433 or 4-1-2-2-1

And you are right the idea is to try to replicate the way they play IRL this season.... cant wait for the full game to see what will be the results after a full season

[yonko]

I don't mind rotating Iniesta and Fabregas in FM12 using more traditional 4-3-3....it is a luxury.

As for Barca IRL, Pep will use 3-4-3 a lot this season and we will see Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas together....with Messi.

BTW, on my Demo save, on Nov. 1 I got 51m euro transfer budget increase. Nice! In the beginning of the season, Camp Nou's capacity was increased by 4,000 seats. My average attendance is over 90,000.

When the full game is released, that increased transfer budget will go towards Neymar. I doubt that on the full game I would be able to get him at the start for 60m euro over 48 months so easily.

Buying Vertonghen was a waste of money on my part. He is not a bad player, but I can't play him since Puyol is back. I can't even play Fontas either. The back 4 is pretty much settled - Alves, Abidal, Pique, Puyol. Only Baines starts over Abidal for home games and Bartra + Montoya for Copa del Rey games/occasional easy home game. I don't even play Adriano cause of his fitness. Afellay is also unused, I should've sold him - his value is > 8m euro. Keita and Maxwell definitely go for sale and shave some of the wage bill. Baines settles very nicely as left back. On the next Demo save I'm going to try Balzaretti instead though - his attributes look very nice IMO.

[kamikaze_josh]

actuallly there are three players at the back as the wing backs are on the dr/dl position but with wingbacks role

1st run in the demo scored approximately 120 goals and conceeded around 10... won every matches except two which ended as draws...crazy

Mind you this is the home tactic, when playing away I switch to a 433 or 4-1-2-2-1

And you are right the idea is to try to replicate the way they play IRL this season.... cant wait for the full game to see what will be the results after a full season

You scored 120 goals in half a season?! Wow. I'd certainly be interested in a more detailed analysis sometime. I've tried a similar strikerless formation for Barca before, but I'm really interested in the way you play at the back. How do the players average positions look at the end of a match?

[kamikaze_josh]

Wow, only one man in the back-line? The kind of boldness only a team with this much talent can even think about.

Kamikaze_Josh...not sure how it translates in FM, but I think that is pretty much exactly what Guardiola is trying to move towards this year, though the ML probably plays much more centrally than does the MR (who typically would be Alves). In fact, you could almost move the ML to AMCL and play him as Fabregas is being played this year.

My tactics last year had the MR (Alves) as slightly more aggressive than the ML. In my opinion though, the left back / left sided midfielders are Barca's weakest position, so moving Fab into AMCl, instead of it is a serious possibility. The problem that I can see is that those wide midfielders acted as fairly defensive players when we didn't have the ball and without one on the left, the team would be very open to a break. I could always bump up the pressing and defensive line even more, although they're almost at their limits. Will test it and see how it goes!

[nev147]

You scored 120 goals in half a season?! Wow. I'd certainly be interested in a more detailed analysis sometime. I've tried a similar strikerless formation for Barca before, but I'm really interested in the way you play at the back. How do the players average positions look at the end of a match?

I second this. It would be nice to see some screen shots, such as formation/instructions(individual and team), and player stats for the half season if possible, thank you.

[kamikaze_josh]

I don't mind rotating Iniesta and Fabregas in FM12 using more traditional 4-3-3....it is a luxury.

As for Barca IRL, Pep will use 3-4-3 a lot this season and we will see Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas together....with Messi.

BTW, on my Demo save, on Nov. 1 I got 51m euro transfer budget increase. Nice! In the beginning of the season, Camp Nou's capacity was increased by 4,000 seats. My average attendance is over 90,000.

When the full game is released, that increased transfer budget will go towards Neymar. I doubt that on the full game I would be able to get him at the start for 60m euro over 48 months so easily.

Buying Vertonghen was a waste of money on my part. He is not a bad player, but I can't play him since Puyol is back. I can't even play Fontas either. The back 4 is pretty much settled - Alves, Abidal, Pique, Puyol. Only Baines starts over Abidal for home games and Bartra + Montoya for Copa del Rey games/occasional easy home game. I don't even play Adriano cause of his fitness. Afellay is also unused, I should've sold him - his value is > 8m euro. Keita and Maxwell definitely go for sale and shave some of the wage bill. Baines settles very nicely as left back. On the next Demo save I'm going to try Balzaretti instead though - his attributes look very nice IMO.

In my opinion, there are as many as 4 young centrebacks capable of being atleast squad players. Just judging by the demo, Fontas actually appears down that pecking order. With correct nurturing, I believe that atleast 1 of Bartra, Muniesa and Sergi Gomez could become first team starters in the long term. In the meantime, you have Abidal and Mascherano more than capable of holding the fort. Personally, I don't rate Busquets in that position. The weakest position to me, in terms of youth, appears to be defensively minded midfielders, although it's not an immediate worry given the ages of Busquets and Masch.

Does that mean that the Camp Nou now holds over 100,000?

[yonko]

In my opinion, there are as many as 4 young centrebacks capable of being atleast squad players. Just judging by the demo, Fontas actually appears down that pecking order. With correct nurturing, I believe that atleast 1 of Bartra, Muniesa and Sergi Gomez could become first team starters in the long term. In the meantime, you have Abidal and Mascherano more than capable of holding the fort. Personally, I don't rate Busquets in that position. The weakest position to me, in terms of youth, appears to be defensively minded midfielders, although it's not an immediate worry given the ages of Busquets and Masch.

Does that mean that the Camp Nou now holds over 100,000?

Fontas is only rated as 2 stars on the demo, so I doubt that he will develop into a solid first team player on the full game too. Bartra looks more highly rated and more likely to develop into one. Same for Muniesa, although his very low jumping will need specific training focus in order to turn him into a more useable choice for DC position. Of course he can also be used at DL as Abidal's replacement, but his Off the ball and crossing attributes are low too. But certainly Muniesa (Puyol's replacement), Bartra (Pique's back-up) and Montoya (Alves' back-up/understudy) look as the best options for the defense in the long term. What is missing is a solid youth prospect for DL. IRL Barca have 15-16 year old Grimaldo who is rated highly at the club and looks as very good prospect for that position. But he isn't on the demo and I doubt that he would be rated with high PA on the full release FM12.

I only bought Vertonghen on the demo for experiment purpose. Now I know I don't need him nor do I need to buy a DC as I would like to develop Muniesa and Bartra in a long term Barca save. If a DC is needed anyway, then Botia can be bought back for 2.5m euro as per his pre-agreed buy-back clause. My conclusion is that at the start of the game, a better left-back needs to be bought to rotate with Abidal. I don't like Maxwell and Adriano, plus the former can be sold for a good price and help shave off the wage bill. From the demo, I like Cissokho, Baines and Balzaretti.

As for your last question, yes Camp Nou now has a seating capacity of 104,100. On my save I average around 93,000.

[gipsy]

You scored 120 goals in half a season?! Wow. I'd certainly be interested in a more detailed analysis sometime. I've tried a similar strikerless formation for Barca before, but I'm really interested in the way you play at the back. How do the players average positions look at the end of a match?

yeah 118 to be precise in 36 games (liga, cup, cl, friendlies) conceeding 12. I am sure I could I scored more, unfortunatelly Messi got injured in ocotber for 3 months, tha's why I'll give it a second try and hope Messi stays fit for the majority of the demo...

I can post the tactic here later, its easy to make with the creator. Average position? what do you mean?

[gipsy]

I second this. It would be nice to see some screen shots, such as formation/instructions(individual and team), and player stats for the half season if possible, thank you.

unfortunatelly, i started a second save and forgot to change the name of it so it saved on top of the provious game... I have started a second one, with the same combination of tactics, meaning a 343 at home (or a 370, depends how you look at it) and a 433 away (41221), trashed valencia 5 - 0 and osasuna just like irl 8-0... its crazy.

as mentionned above, I will post the different tactics I use, they can be created quite quickly with the TC and could post some screenshots of my second save. Could anyone suggest a hosting site for the pics besides imageshack? the res of my screen is a bit to high and thus screens are unreadable and its a hassle to fix it Thanks!

[rune_star]

Turn on windowed mode, and make screenshots from there. Then you can go back to fullscreen afterwards... Your screenshots should be more 'readable' using that method

[gipsy]

nope it wont help I am already playing in windowed mode.... last time I had to lower the resolution of my screen to take the screenshot and then back to the res I use normally on my PC.... to much of a hassle... and when I do it the old fashion way it is "unreadable"..... but I'll do some tests this evening if I have time

[kamikaze_josh]

yeah 118 to be precise in 36 games (liga, cup, cl, friendlies) conceeding 12. I am sure I could I scored more, unfortunatelly Messi got injured in ocotber for 3 months, tha's why I'll give it a second try and hope Messi stays fit for the majority of the demo...

I can post the tactic here later, its easy to make with the creator. Average position? what do you mean?

Ok, so just over 3 goals a game I didn't realise that you were including friendlies. Either way though, it's still an impressive run.

To check on the average positions, much like a chalkboard, just do the following: After the match, click on the 'analysis' tab and then choose average positions from the 'event' drag down menu. I find it quite a useful tool.

[CA=195_PA=200]

I do not understand why thiago, is available for loan. It was the best Barca player in pre-season and the best in the European U-21. So it's cool because I'll have the opportunity to have it in my humble team. I think Sanchez is overrated.

[yonko]

No, Sanchez is not overrated. But his decision attribute is unfairly low.

[CA=195_PA=200]

No, Sanchez is not overrated. But his decision attribute is unfairly low.

Yes, sanchez is OVERRATED.

[kamikaze_josh]

I do not understand why thiago, is available for loan. It was the best Barca player in pre-season and the best in the European U-21. So it's cool because I'll have the opportunity to have it in my humble team. I think Sanchez is overrated.

I'm not sure about that either. I think anybody managing Barca, despite the amazing midfield resources, would be mad to let him go out on loan!

[kamikaze_josh]

Yes, sanchez is OVERRATED.

There seems to be a lot of hate towards Alexis' stats! Don't forget the great season which he had for Udinese last year I do slightly agree with you though, but would like to see how he performs over time on the full game.

[uros19]

When we will see other updates on Barca ?

[kamikaze_josh]

When we will see other updates on Barca ?

Working on it right now!

[yonko]

Yes, sanchez is OVERRATED.

What makes you say that?

[nev147]

Come on guys, please post some screen shots of your saves!!!! Haha I need to get my fix of FM12 and barca somehow. I can play the game through you guys!

[Intercept]

I'm having a tad bit of difficulty with my save. I'm trying to be too clever with my formations and it's biting me in the ass. First run through I managed to lose 10 games (don't even ask how). Second run through I lost 7 and on the third I managed 8 losses so I'm doing something wrong compared to the rest of you.

Started off my latest run through quite well and about 10 games in I've won 9 and drawn 1 so things are looking fairly settled. I'll post screens if I manage to get anything out of this run for you Nev

[vieires]

My tactics last year had the MR (Alves) as slightly more aggressive than the ML. In my opinion though, the left back / left sided midfielders are Barca's weakest position, so moving Fab into AMCl, instead of it is a serious possibility. The problem that I can see is that those wide midfielders acted as fairly defensive players when we didn't have the ball and without one on the left, the team would be very open to a break. I could always bump up the pressing and defensive line even more, although they're almost at their limits. Will test it and see how it goes!

I was thinking about this a bit more earlier today and suddenly it occured to me that it would be more wise to play him as a MCL (just moving him one position to the right) rather than a AMCL. That way he still offers some protection on the flank by shuttling out there as he needs to, but he is utilised more centrally to play to the strenghts of Barca.

Maybe he could be set to roam as well, so that he will often be found out wide on attacking plays, and therefore out wide should those plays break down.

[FollowFollow54]

Cruising the league!

23 in 14 in the league for Messi

[yonko]

I'm on my second demo save with Barca, doing some things differently........

1. I hired better coaches this time - Houston (4 stars attacking), Thuram (4 stars defending), Mombaerets (4 stars tactics), Koepke (4.5 stars GK-handling or shot-stopping), Venturatti (5 stars fitness), plus as before Borgues (4 stars ball control) and Borrell (4.5 stars shooting)

2. I'm using a 4-3-3 with 3MCs + STL/STR created in Classic mode, not with the TC.

3. Sold Maxwell, Keita and Afellay for nice amount right at the start

4. Bought Balzaretti and Neymar as soon as I sold the above three

I've played 5 friendlies (4 in the US, plus one vs Napoli after the Spanish Supercup), the two Supercup matches vs Real M, the Euro Supercup vs Porto and the first La Liga game vs Villarreal.

The two games vs Real M were both thriller games with comebacks. In the 1st leg I went up 2-0 thanks to Messi and Pique (header from Xavi's freekick), but then Real M came back and won the game 3-2 - Ronaldo scored the first for them and then assisted twice for Higuain (supersub). I was disappointed but hopeful that I will beat them at Camp Nou. Then, in the home (second) leg, shockingly they went up 2-0 through Ronaldo (again) and Khedira (amazing header from a corner)! I made a small tactical change and Messi scored one before halftime. Then comes my inspirational speech and in the second half we were all over them - Messi scored two more goals (one from a PK) and the game went into extra time. Before that I had replaced Villa, Pedro and Iniesta with Neymar, Sanchez and Fabregas, plus I made some additional tactical changes (increased width, lowered tempo, lowered time wasting, upped runs from deep, through balls and run with the ball, etc.). Then in the first half of extra time, Fabregas scored from Sanchez' assist and later Messi scored his 4th goal of the game. Alves finished them off with another goal from the PK spot in the last seconds of the game. Final score was 6-2 win! I was so happy with that pay-back comeback action! Here are some screens from the game:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Here are a few more screenshots regarding transfer dealings for those curious:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

This was my budget after selling and before buying:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I did some experiments with adjusting the budgets and I could get my transfer budget close to 42M euros with close to 100k for wages. At the end, I decided to keep it at 33.48m and 345k just in case. Neymar's agent is pretty greedy and asks for very high fee, while Neymar's salary demanded is not that high at 67k per week. However, anyone who wishes to sign him would need to give him a Key Player status because otherwise you wont be able to make his agent accept lower signing fee and he will walk away.

Balzaretti is much easier to sign as a Rotation player on 35k per week salary and much lower signing/agent fees. BTW, he plays just as good as Baines did on my first save so far. He struggled against Ronaldo in the first leg, but was immense in the 2nd leg against him. The left-back upgrade might not be desired by everyone or most of you, but for me it is a worthy upgrade as Balzaretti is more solid defensively than Maxwell and is on lower wages. The addition of Neymar is a must IMO as he becomes the third best option in attack, after Messi and Villa, and before Sanchez and Pedro.

I will continue playing and report anything interesting. I'm curious to see again how Camp Nou's capacity would increase and how much my budget would be increased in November.

[tomtuck01]

So when is this thread getting completed? It was started on the 9th and it's now the 14th, and still no player and staff/tactical analysis.

[gipsy]

Ok,

I have finished my second run as barca,

Here are some screens:

League

This is a screen of the 1st team

Home tactic: 3-4-3 (or 3-7-0)

Away tactic: 4-1-2-2-1 (or 4-3-3)

[gipsy]

And Messi+Villa

Messi

Villa

I will post details on the tactics later if there is interest as I would like to improve them even further, and I would appreciate feedback on how to achieve it.

I lost only one game on penalties it was the semi of the clubs world championship, shouldn't have tried to experiment that much lol

Let me know if you'd like some more details

Cheers,

Gipsy

[kamikaze_josh]

So when is this thread getting completed? It was started on the 9th and it's now the 14th, and still no player and staff/tactical analysis.

The full game hasn't even been released yet, whatever I write now will be heavily altered as of next weekend and beyond. I have the demo analysis almost ready to go though and it will be up this evening By the way guys, I'm very happy for anyone to point anything out and give me advice.

Watching the game against Racing whilst finishing off the analysis, anybody else watching?